A/N: Standard Disclaimers Apply

A/N: Once again, thanks to everyone who's reading this tale…

Chapter Three: Fashionably Late

Jinx looked around and rubbed the chill in the room off her arm. She forced a small smile and waved to Cyborg with her fingers. The former villainess was used to untrusting eyes on her, but her normal nonchalant façade chipped away, leaving her very uncomfortable. Her eyes wandered from Robin, to Cyborg, to Speedy (who grinned at her rather roguishly) and then back to the leader of the Teen Titans.

"Thanks," she answered him and was suddenly tackled.

Starfire had Jinx in one of her spine breaking embraces. The alien girl wore a beaming smile and exclaimed, "Oh Jinx! I am so glad you were able to come! Why did you not use the communicator the Kid Flash gave you? I was worried that you might not have gotten my invitation…"

"C-can't breathe…" Jinx gasped.

"Oh!" Star said, dropping the pink haired girl. Jinx fell to the ground in a heap. "I must apologize for their rudeness," Star said waving arm at the boys. "Cyborg, could you please get Jinx some drink?"

Cy smiled broadly and walked over to the punchbowl and ladled out a cupful. Raven stood nearby, her arms crossed, as she watched Aqualad greet Jinx with a sweeping bow and took her small suitcase. Starfire helped up the dark sorceress and guided her into the common room. Cyborg returned to Jinx's side and offered her the cup. She smiled demurely at the massive teen as slowly took the cup from his hand.

"Oh, please," Raven commented to herself and rolled her eyes. The young witch turned her head and her gaze settled on Robin. His masked face was unemotional and very cold, and he squatted looking more like a perched bird of prey than a boy.

"We're glad you changed sides," Speedy purred to the pale sorceress. Raven felt the desire ooze out of the young archer, and apparently, so did Jinx. She smiled noncommittally and backed away politely.

Robin stood and announced, "All right team, time to go… again."

He turned quickly and ran smack into a silver-skinned girl who, like Jinx, favored dramatic black attire, and had a bright red streak dyed into her midnight black hair. The pair tumbled, and Robin wrapped his arm quickly around her waist, used her as a fulcrum, and rolled her against him, shielding the girl from injury. As they fell, he watched, as if moving in slow motion, a brightly wrapped package tumbling toward the floor. His hand flashed out, snatched it out of the air, and tucked the item under his arm. The girl landed on him hard and flopped across his chest.

They laid there for a few heartbeats, and a picture of them together could have easily been mistaken for a cover of a romance novel had no one watched the fall. The girl raised her head and glanced down at Robin. Her eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed. She vaulted off the Teen Wonder and quickly went about straightening her dress.

"That was some entrance, Argent," Cyborg commented sarcastically as he helped up Robin. "You two okay?"

"I'm fine," Robin said curtly. He handed Argent her package.

"Thank you," Argent said, still blushing, and took Star's wrapped birthday present from him.

"Hey ya'll!" Cyborg exclaimed to the Titans, "I guess you know that the A-girl is in the house!" He wrapped his massive arm around her shoulders and guided her into the room.

Starfire floated over to Robin. "Are you injured?" she asked compassionately.

"Only my pride," Robin said, wrapping his cape around him like a shadow.

"Oh my God, that was too funny!" a little voice buzzed in his ear. Bumble Bee appeared, as if from nowhere, and nearly doubled over from gasping for air. She handed Starfire a gift bag and entered the common room, cackling wildly. She fell against Speedy laughed on his shoulder and gathered herself.

"Oh, this night bodes well," Robin snarled under his breath.

Starfire glanced around at the various forming conversations. Argent and Jinx quickly struck up conversations about Doc Martens, while Cyborg looked desperate for the chance to speak to the pink-haired girl. Aqualad and Beast Boy settled in the couch and powered up Reverb the Porpoise on the Gamestation. Speedy leaned against the curved sofa and was obviously doing the "checking out" on the darkly clad girls.

"Robin?" she started. "Perhaps we can allow for the mingling to occur?"

Robin looked over and scowled. "I guess," he resigned.

Star smiled brightly and drifted in and out of various conversations while Robin skulked over to the punch table. Raven looked over and drew her hood over her head. Bee found the sound system and bass heavy dance music thundered in the room. She pulled Cy away from his attempts at chatting up Jinx and started him dancing. Raven watched as Speedy's math skills obviously came into play. The young archer counted the ratio of girls to boys and measured up his chances. He sidled up to the silver-skinned girl and asked her for a dance. Argent agreed, and the pair drifted toward Cy and Bee. Even Star jumped in and danced, alternately, with both couples.

Robin leaned against the wall and watched his team enjoy themselves.

"You're a little ray of sunshine," Raven told him from across the punch table.

"Thank you for you kind observation, Miss Kettle," Robin responded.

Raven arched a delicate eyebrow and glanced over to Robin. His charkas were out of balance, and he was filled with nervous energy. The young witch knew this look. The Teen Wonder was in "pre-mission mode."

"You're taking them out on patrol aren't you?"

"Gold star to you," Robin said in a voice more like his mentor's than his own. "I've heard that there's a shipment of weapons being smuggled through the city on its way to the East Coast. Apparently, whoever's financing this op heard that the JCPA is lax. I want to make sure they heard wrong."

"Sounds like you need a hand," Raven said, moving closer to Robin.

"We've got it under control. I want to make sure Star has a good party; that's why I haven't told her. She'd want to cancel, but she's earned this rest." Robin turned and looked into Raven's deep violet eyes. "And so have you. Please don't tell her."

"I won't," Raven promised. She leaned into Robin for a brief unnoticed instant, "Just take care of yourself. We all… care about you a lot."

Robin smiled at her softly, patted her on the shoulder, and slipped away as the song set ended. He suddenly smiled broadly. A fashionably dressed young woman with dark brown hair stood in the doorway. She had a casual scarf wrapped loosely around her neck, a stylish camisole shirt and bolero style sweater and comfortable jeans. Her bright blue eyes flashed like gemstones.

"Donna!" Robin exclaimed.

"Hi, Robbie," she said. "Glad to be here!"